Actor Marc Messier among 10 Quebecers appointed to Order of Canada
Actor and screenwriter Marc Messier was one of 85 Canadians, including 10 Quebecers, appointed Friday to the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour.
"Me, who has spent my life playing roles in films, TV series and acting in theater, listen, I'm honoured to receive this. It gives me great pleasure," Messier said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
His accomplishments are outlined in a document from the Governor General's office, which says he was awarded "for his remarkable contributions to Quebec's artistic and cultural landscape, on stage and on screen."
Messier, who was made an officer of the Order, said the honour was unexpected.
"Well, my tax return has a problem or something," he said to himself as the call came, spotting the Ottawa area code.
The 75-year-old artist is one of the creators behind Broue, a hugely successful comedy play performed over 3,300 times.
His screen credits include Lance et compte, as Marc Gagnon, and La petite vie, as Réjean. He also starred in the film Les Boys.
The Order of Canada announced a rise in its ranks on Friday: Toronto researcher Alan Bernstein was promoted from officer to companion, the highest position.
Two other Canadians were named companions as well: former Supreme Court Justice Clément Gascon, for his "exceptional contribution" to Canadian law and his relentless fight against prejudice surrounding mental illness, and former United Steelworkers International President Leo Gerard for his "vast and influential action" in defence of workers.
Other Quebecers honoured include entrepreneur Johnny N. Adams, child and youth worker Thomas Fredric Garfat, marine mammal researcher Robert Michaud, lawyer Peter O'Brien, patent specialist Robert E. Mitchell, entrepreneur and philanthropist Evan Price, farmer Gérard Trudeau and ethicist and philosopher Daniel Marc Weinstock.
CALL FOR DIVERSITY
In a press release, Governor General Mary Simon congratulated the recipients but said "work needs to be done" to reflect the full diversity of the population.
"Nominations continue to fall short of representing the excellence achieved by women, Francophones, persons with disabilities, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds. We want to learn more about the contributions from Indigenous peoples, Black and 2SLGTBQIA+ communities, to truly honour the richness of our country," she wrote.
The Order of Canada recognizes the extraordinary contributions of Canadians to their country. It was created in 1967 under the motto Desiderantes meliorem patriam ("they desire a better country.").
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 30, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Live results: Harris concedes to Trump in post-election speech
Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris publicly conceded the U.S. presidential election after calling Donald Trump earlier on Wednesday to congratulate the Republican leader on his win.
Donald Trump wins U.S. presidential election, Harris concedes in speech about democracy
Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.
'Canada will be absolutely fine': Justin Trudeau, his ministers and Pierre Poilievre congratulate Donald Trump
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet congratulated Donald Trump Wednesday morning on his second United States presidential election win, amid questions about how the federal government intends to navigate a second term.
4 ways in which Donald Trump's election was historic
Donald Trump's election victory was history-making in several respects, even as his defeat of U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris prevented other firsts. She would have been the nation's first Black and South Asian woman to be president.
What might Donald Trump's election win mean for Canadians
Following president-elect Donald Trump's decisive election victory, there are sure to be significant knock-on effects for Canada. Here's a look at the different areas in which a second Trump presidency may affect Canadians.
BREAKING U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris concedes election to president-elect Donald Trump
Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris has conceded the U.S. election to Republican Donald Trump.
Who won the popular vote? U.S. election vote totals from the past 40 years
Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency on Tuesday, and as of Wednesday morning, was also ahead in the popular vote. Historically, though, the candidate with the most votes hasn’t always won the contest.
Kingston, Ont. doctor fighting OHIP clawback of $660K in pandemic vaccination payments
A Kingston doctor is in a dispute with the Ontario Ministry of Health, which is trying to clawback more than $600,000 in OHIP payments.
'How to move to Canada' surges on Google as U.S. wakes up to Donald Trump win
U.S. search engine queries about moving to Canada shot up Wednesday in the wake of Donald Trump’s decisive win in the presidential election.